When we last saw Mad Men in June, the hit AMC drama left its characters, and us, in a place of uncertainty. Don Draper contemplated an attractive young woman's unwittingly-loaded question—"Are you alone?"—while listening to the sweet refrain of Nancy Sinatra's "You Only Live Twice." Were Don and Megan headed for Splitsville? Was his decision to encourage his wife's nascent acting career really the much-needed support of a devoted husband? Or was he putting distance between them to set the stage for his own departure from the marriage? And when the heck would we find out the answers to these questions?
Luckily, these new photos of Jon Hamm and Jessica Paré shooting season six suggest that all will be revealed sooner rather than later. No 17-month hiatus between seasons this time! And what better place for a struggling couple to work out their marital kinks than Hawaii? Yes, despite the unfortunate Howard Johnson's Incident of 1967, Don and Megan seem to be all smiles in the Aloha State, happily lounging in psychedelic swimwear on a beach in Maui.
One dark note, though. Don is apparently devouring a copy of Dante's Inferno. Unusual beach reading, huh? But if Maui is one of the Seven Levels of Hell, then sign...me...up.
Don even officiates at a lei-strewn Hawaiian wedding!
Basically, there's no chance we're going to get through the Drapers' Maui trip without "Zou Bisou Bisou" chanteuse Megan doing the hula, is there? A return date for Mad Men hasn't been set yet, but it's widely expected to return in Spring 2013.
[Photo Credits: Zeus/Apollo/FAMEFLYNET PICTURES (4)]
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I’ve just consumed about 27 Sour Patch Kids and four cups of coffee, so let’s get straight to it, shall we? For those of you who don’t remember (or all those newbies out there), my name is Leanne and I’m mildly obsessed with television. Not just the fact that they are shiny boxes filled with mysterious shapes and colors. I love that at any given time of the day, I can turn it on with my magical remote and be transported into another world. Okay, now before this turns into an awkward school paper that the weird kid wrote or you all begin to think that I was TV-deprived as a child, I present to you this week’s Spoiler List! American Horror Story: Asylum returns tonight and as soon as I stopped hyperventilating with fear, I wrote up a preview. There’s a new girl coming to Glee and she’s gonna be spinning circles around Miss Berry. And Andrew Rannells reveals what’s coming up for the gang on The New Normal. Plus, I’ve got details on upcoming episodes of Happy Endings and Arrow!
1. American Horror Story: Asylum: Exorcism? Party of One?
You thought last week's AHS brought the spiritual spooks? Wait until tonight, when Joseph Fiennes' Monsignor Timothy performs an exorcism that may or may not result in one beloved character housing a serious demon. Warning: If you’re not rocking back and forth in the fetal position after watching this episode then there is something mighty wrong with you. We saw last week that Sister Jude (Jessica Lange) has a thing for the Monsignor, but not everyone at Briarcliff feels the same way.
Zachary Quinto's Dr. Oliver is not happy to see tonight's victim receive his exorcism. (Side-Note: Quinto’s acting is once again flawless, and be prepared to love his season two character so much more than last year’s Harmon house hide-away.) Looking ahead, we’ll soon be finding out much, much more about the patients running around in Briarcliff. Fiennes beamed, “It’s so brilliantly plotted, the characters, the arcs of all these characters," Of course I had to ask when we’re going to be learning more about the twisted staff’s past. Fiennes replied, "I love Episode 6 because that’s where you begin to see a bit of a back story on Monsignor Howard and how he got working with the people that he’s working with." Ooh, I love me a good flashback!
2. Happy Endings: Swag and Shia LaBeouf!
Season 3 of Happy Endings premiered last night and if you thought Jane’s (Eliza Coupe) blurred-out naked bod was fantastic, wait until you see next week’s small screen sensation! Now that Brad (Damon Wayans Jr.) is fully embracing the unemployed life, he turns to the world’s best moocher Max (Adam Pally) for a little swag tutorial. And no I’m not talking about swag meaning cool, I’m talking about S.W.A.G. as in “stuff we all get.” (Come on guys, Max is a loveable cub and all, but he’s nowhere near Brad on the “Damn that dude’s cool!” scale.)
So, while the boys are out getting an urban steam, Alex (Elisha Cuthbert) and Dave (Zachary Knighton) are on the hunt for their very own dream apartment. Here’s just some of their list of requirements: 1.) Ample room for chicken fights. 2.) No wi-fi—they’re dial-up people and FYI Alex’s mid-nineties modem impression is flawless. 3.) The apartment can’t be too Shia LaBeouf-y. What does that mean? I have no flipping clue, but I do know it’s a deal-breaker, my friends. Penny (Casey Wilson) and Jane are also up to their own hilarious shenanigans but I’m sorry, I’m keeping that one to myself. I’m a lady y’all, and my mom says that I need to keep an air of mystery in my list or else I’ll get a reputation as a spoiler slut. (Thanks for keeping me classy, momma!)
3. Arrow: The Secret’s Out!
This week’s episode of Arrow opens with Oliver (Stephen Amell) showing off his swoon-worthy muscles while lifting some ridiculously heavy things and basically showing the world that he is the peak of physical perfection. There’s your spoiler. You’re welcome!
Okay, okay. I guess I can try to look past those chiseled abs for some more action-packed details for you. Tonight’s episode “Lone Gunman” shows our hero doing something we’ve never seen before: asking for help. When a poison-bullet favoring sniper is after his family, Ollie (as Arrow), demands politely asks Detective Lance (Paul Blackthorne) for some extra backup. Unfortunately, even with the entire Starling City police force on standby all hell breaks loose and someone close to Ollie gets hit. (Extra Spoiler: It’s not Tommy or his Mommy.) To save this person’s life, Oliver exposes him/her to his super-secret, badass underground lair and the episode leaves us on a mini cliffhanger: Holy crap, is this person going to blab our billionaire boyfriend’s secret?! P.S. if you thought Arrow was a badass before, just wait until you see him stitching up a bullet wound like he's putting on a band-aid!
4. The New Normal: Flashbacks and Family
I know that it is pointless to crush so hard on Andrew Rannells because let’s face it, his door doesn’t really swing my way, but that doesn’t change the fact that I stil get all squealy when he graces my TV screen. When I chatted with the former Broadway babe a few weeks ago, he told me that it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas on The New Normal. “Well, it’s the holidays and we’re getting into more drama. We got to meet David’s mom in the last couple episodes so there will be more family interaction, which is very exciting. [We’ll see] my family and more of Justin [Bartha's] family, so I’m really looking forward to that.” Fans will remember that a few weeks back Rannell’s onscreen alter ego Bryan reached out to his mother after not speaking for years, so of course I had to ask if she’ll be entering the picture just in time for eggnog and presents. “He did call her, so we’ll see. I know that I’m curious about that myself so we’ll see about that. But I know with the holidays coming up; that may happen. “ Rannells trails off with a smile.
In addition to a family reunion, fans of the new NBC comedy can also get pumped for more glimpses into Bryan and David’s (Justin Bartha) dating past. “Yes there are definitely more flashbacks!” Rannells gushes. But what is it about these scenes does the actor like the most? Is it learning more about his character’s past? The awesome ‘80/’90s club scenes? Or acting out the awkward beginnings of a new relationship? And the answer is D) None of the above! “I love it for my hair!” Rannells admits while casually caressing his light brown locks. “I love it when they mess with my hair, but I love the flashbacks. I’m always game for that.” And I’m always game for you, Andrew. (Did that get weird? I feel like I just made that weird...)
5. Glee: Bitchy Black Swan
Are you ready to meet another newbie, Gleeks? It seems that there’s a light at the end of this seemingly forever-hiatus because in Episode 9 we’ll meet a new New Yorker. Start preparing yourselves for Anna-Marie: an attractive, yet bitchy ballerina who will be gracing the screens with an intense performance of Balanchine-style ballet. Originally the powers-that-be at Glee were looking for someone who would be able to sing and dance “extremely well,” but have since lowered their requirements to just an expert ballet dancer. Well, sheesh! First Kate Hudson and then Sarah Jessica Parker, does anyone know if Natalie Portman’s tutu still fits? Looks like Rachel (Lea Michele) is going to have to seriously step up her dancing skills once this girl spins onto our TV screens.
Do you think Anna-Marie is going to shake things up on Glee? Are you excited for Zachary Quinto’s AHS: Asylum debut tonight? How much are you loving Arrow and Happy Endings?! Tell me everything in the comments below!
Follow Leanne on Twitter @LeanneAguilera
Additional reporting by Shaunna Murphy.
[Photo Credit: FOX, ABC, The CW, NBC, FX]
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The announcement earlier this week by Warner Bros. that the studio is planning a Justice League movie for the summer of 2015 had us asking the question: who is the bigger box office threat, Marvel or DC Comics?
With battle lines being drawn we will let you decide for yourself by breaking down the numbers. Irrespective of whether you are a Marvel fan or a DC fan (or both), there is no doubt that both of these brands have brought and will continue to bring massive numbers of fans (and dollars) to the multi-plex in the years to come. Take a look at how both brands have fared:
Marvel Comics:
From 1986's Howard the Duck to 2012's The Avengers, the Marvel Comics superhero universe has been diverse, hugely popular and massively profitable. With over $5 billion in domestic box office and nearly $11 billion in worldwide revenue, the 28 feature films listed below have proven to be among the most successful in the history of movie-going. Though there has been the occasional misstep (Howard the Duck, Supergirl, Elektra), the Marvel films have proven to be among the most consistently strong performing of any movie brand franchise.
Bringing together some of the most popular Marvel characters in one giant irresistible package, The Avengers, released earlier this year, posted the biggest opening weekend gross of all-time ($207.4 million) and became a worldwide phenomenon grossing an incredible $1.5 billion at box offices worldwide. A planned Avengers sequel is set for May 1, 2015, the same year that the Justice League movie is scheduled for release.
We crunched the numbers on all 28 Marvel Comic movies domestically, in order of release date. Totals for each film include 2D and 3D.
The Amazing Spider-Man: $262 million (7/4/12)
The Avengers: $623.3 million (5/4/12)
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance: $51.7 million (2/17/12)
Captain America: The First Avenger: $176.6 million (7/22/11)
X-Men: First Class: $146.4 million (6/3/11)
Thor: $181 million (5/6/11)
Iron Man 2: $312.4 million (5/7/10)
X-Men Origins: Wolverine: $179.8 million (5/1/10)
The Incredible Hulk: $134.8 million (6/13/08)
Iron Man: $318.6 million (5/2/08)
Punisher: War Zone: $7.9 million (12/5/08)
Spider-Man 3: $336.5 million (5/4/07)
Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer: $131.9 million (6/15/07)
Ghost Rider: $115.8 million (2/16/07)
X-Men: The Last Stand: $234.3 million (5/26/06)
Fantastic Four: $154.7 million (7/8/05)
Elektra: $24 million (1/14/05)
Spider-Man 2: $373.3 million (6/30/04)
Blade: Trinity: $52.4 million (12/8/04)
The Punisher: $33.7 million (4/16/04)
X2: X-Men United: $214.9 million (5/2/03)
The Hulk: $132.1 million (6/20/03)
Daredevil: $102.5 million (2/14/03)
Spider-Man: $403.7 million (5/3/02)
Blade 2: $81.6 million (3/22/02)
X-Men: $157.3 million (7/14/00)
Blade: $70 million (8/21/98)
Howard the Duck: $16.3 million (8/1/86)
MARVEL DOMESTIC TOTAL BOX OFFICE: $5,030,790,814
Next up is DC Comics:
A different type of superhero exists in the DC Universe and one that on the surface is just not as popular in terms of the overall box office as Marvel. However, lest anyone question the viability of the future of DC, one need only look at its recent past and in particular the Christopher Nolan helmed Batman films to see that an incredibly high level of filmmaking can exist within the DC world. Nearly $2.7 billion in domestic box office and over $4 billion in worldwide revenue is just part of the DC story. The early 80's was the era of Superman at the box office with the four films featuring Christopher Reeve generating over $500 million in domestic revenue (in 1980's dollars) and nearly $900 million worldwide. Catwoman, Jonah Hex, Steel and most recently Green Lantern have still not dampened the enthusiasm of the DC fans who cannot wait for the collective strength of The Justice League to put their favorite superhero house back in the thick of the box office fight. The following list includes only superhero films and not DC imprints films such as The Losers, The Road to Perdition and Constantine.
Here are the domestic totals of the 19 DC Comics movies released, in order, including 2D and 3D titles. (All were distributed by Warner Bros. except Supergirl which is a Tri-Star release.)
The Dark Knight Rises: $446.2 million (7/20/12)
Green Lantern: $116.6 million (6/7/11)
Jonah Hex: $10.5 million (6/8/10)
Watchmen: $107.5 million (3/6/09)
The Dark Knight: $533.3 million (7/18/08)
Superman Returns: $200 million (6/28/06)
Batman Begins: $205.3 million (6/15/05)
Catwoman: $40.2 million (7/23/04)
Batman and Robin: $107.3 million (6/20/97)
Steel: 1.6 million (8/15/97)
Batman Forever: $184 million (6/16/95)
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm: $5.6 million (12/24/93)
Batman Returns: $162.8 million (6/19/92)
Batman: $251.2 million (6/23/89)
Superman IV: $15.6 million (7/24/87)
Supergirl: $13.3 million (11/21/84)
Superman III: $59.9 million (6/17/83)
Superman II: $108.2 million (6/19/81)
Superman: $134.2 million (12/15/78)
DC COMICS DOMESTIC TOTAL BOX OFFICE $2,703,707,445
With nine more releases than DC and propelled by the success of The Avengers, Marvel has more power at the box office, bringing in nearly $2.3 billion more.
[Photo credit: Walt Disney; Warner. Bros.]
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The first season of the show picked up four awards at the Nokia Theatre, including Outstanding Drama Series and lead acting awards for stars Damian Lewis and Claire Danes.
Lewis prevented Cranston from tying Dennis Franz's four best actor awards record and the show's win stalled Mad Men, which was shut out on Sunday night, from claiming a record-breaking fifth trophy for Outstanding Drama Series.
TV movie Game Change and Modern Family were also four-award winners at the 2012 Emmys, claiming the night's Outstanding Miniseries or Movie and Outstanding Comedy Series trophies, respectively.
Meanwhile, comedian Jon Stewart's political comedy show The Daily Show picked up its 10th Emmy and movie stars Kevin Costner and Tom Berenger both claimed honours for hit TV mini-series Hatfields &amp; McCoys.
The full list of winners is:
Outstanding Comedy Series - Modern Family
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series - Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family)
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series - Louis C.K. (Louis)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Julie Bowen (Modern Family)
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series - Steve Levitan (Modern Family)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series - Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series - Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep)
Outstanding Reality Program - The Amazing Race
Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program - Tom Bergeron (Dancing with the Stars)
Outstanding Drama Series - Homeland
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series - Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad)
Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series - Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon &amp; Gideon Raft (Homeland)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series - Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey)
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series - Tim Van Patten (Boardwalk Empire)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series - Damian Lewis (Homeland)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series - Claire Danes (Homeland)
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special - Louis C.K. (Louis C.K. Live at the Beacon Theatre)
Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special - Glenn Weiss (65th Annual Tony Awards)
Outstanding Variety Series - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Outstanding Miniseries or Movie - Game Change
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie - Jessica Lange (American Horror Story)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie - Tom Berenger (Hatfields &amp; McCoys)
Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries or Movie - Danny Strong (Game Change)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie - Julianne Moore (Game Change)
Outstanding Directing for Miniseries or Movie - Jay Roach (Game Change)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie - Kevin Costner (Hatfields &amp; McCoys).

In what world could Breaking Bad's Walter White nab a vixen like Mad Men's Joan Harris? Well, it could happen in a world that only Jason Reitman could dream up. The Up In the Air and Young Adult director just released the full cast of his Toronto Live Read of the now-classic film American Beauty to EW and he's got Bryan Cranston and Christina Hendricks in the lead roles as Lester and Carolyn Burnham — roles originated by Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening.
The event comes on the heels of a series of live reads in Los Angeles of films like The Breakfast Club, The Big Lebowski starring Seth Rogen, and Reservoir Dogs starring Terrance Howard and Common. Hollywood.com was on-hand for Reitman's only New York reading in April, during which Emma Stone and Paul Rudd delivered The Apartment to an anticipatory crowd at the New York Times Center.
Reitman's reads have gone from the director's pet project to a bit of a cult sensation, so this American Beauty cast announcement is an exciting one. Can this cast handle the material? Bryan Cranston as Lester Burnham (Originally played by Kevin Spacey) Christina Hendricks as Carolyn Burnham (Originally played by Annette Bening) Sarah Gadon as Angela Hayes (Originally played by Mena Suvari) Woody Harrelson as Col. Frank Fitts (Originally played by Chris Cooper) Mae Whitman as Jane Burnham (Originally played by Thora Birch) Adam Driver as Ricky Fitts (Originally played by Wes Bentley) Follow Kelsea on Twitter @KelseaStahler [Photo Credits: AMC (2), WENN.com (8), Dreamworks Pictures (8)] More: 'The Apartment' Live Read With Emma Stone and Paul Rudd Brings the Classic to New Life TIFF 2012 Trailer Gallery: First Looks at the Year's Most Prestigious Films

There is something particularly unnerving about demon possession. It's the idea of something you can't see or control creeping into your body and taking up residence eventually obliterating all you once were and turning you into nothing more than a sack of meat to be manipulated. Then there's also the shrouded ritual around exorcisms: the Latin chants the flesh-sizzling crucifixes and the burning Holy Water. As it turns out exorcism isn't just the domain of Catholics.
The myths and legends of the Jews aren't nearly as well known but their creepy dybbuk goes toe-to-toe with anything other world religions come up with. There are various interpretations of what a dybbuk is or where it comes from — is it a ghost a demon a soul of a sinner? — but in any case it's looking for a body to hang out in for a while. Especially according to the solemn Hasidic Jews in The Possession an innocent young person and even better a young girl.
The central idea in The Possession is that a fancy-looking wooden box bought at a garage sale was specifically created to house a dybbuk that was tormenting its previous owner. Unfortunately it caught the eye of young Emily (Natasha Calis) a sensitive artistic girl who persuades her freshly divorced dad Clyde (Jeffrey Dean Morgan of Watchmen and Grey's Anatomy) to buy it for her. Never mind the odd carvings on it — that would be Hebrew — or how it's created without seams so it would be difficult to open or why it's an object of fascination for a young girl; Clyde is trying really hard to please his disaffected daughters and do the typical freshly divorced parent dance of trying to please them no matter the cost.
Soon enough the creepy voices calling to Emily from the box convince her to open it up; inside are even creepier personal objects that are just harbingers of what's to come for her her older sister Hannah (Madison Davenport) her mom Stephanie (Kyra Sedgwick) and even Stephanie's annoying new boyfriend Brett (Grant Show). Clyde and Stephanie squabble over things like pizza for dinner and try to convince each other and themselves that Emily's increasingly odd behavior is that of a troubled adolescent. It's not of course and eventually Clyde enlists the help of the son of a Hasidic rabbi a young man named Tzadok played by the former Hasidic reggae musician Matisyahu to help them perform an exorcism on Emily.
The Possession is not going to join the ranks of The Exorcist in the horror pantheon but it does do a remarkable job of making its characters intelligent and even occasionally droll and it offers up plenty of chills despite a PG-13 rating. Perhaps it's because of that rating that The Possession is so effective; the filmmakers are forced to make the benign scary. Giant moths and flying Torahs take the place of little Reagan violently masturbating with a crucifix in The Exorcist. Gagging and binging on food is also an indicator of Emily's possession — an interesting twist given the anxieties of becoming a woman a girl Emily's age would face. There is something inside her controlling her and she knows it and she is fighting it. The most impressive part of Calis's performance is how she communicates Emily's torment with a few simple tears rolling down her face as the dybbuk's control grows. The camerawork adds to the anxiety; one particularly scary scene uses ordinary glass kitchenware to great effect.
The Possession is a short 92 minutes and it does dawdle in places. It seems as though some of the scenes were juggled around to make the PG-13 cut; the moth infestation scene would have made more sense later in the movie. Some of the problems are solved too quickly or simply and yet it also takes a while for Clyde's character to get with it. Stephanie is a fairly bland character; she makes jewelry and yells at Clyde for not being present in their marriage a lot and then there's a thing with a restraining order that's pretty silly. Emily is occasionally dressed up like your typical horror movie spooky girl with shadowed eyes an over-powdered face and dark clothes; it's much more disturbing when she just looks like an ordinary though ill young girl. The scenes in the heavily Hasidic neighborhood in Brooklyn look oddly fake and while it's hard to think of who else could have played Tzadok an observant Hasidic Jew who is also an outsider willing to take risks the others will not Matisyahu is not a very good actor. Still the filmmakers should be commended for authenticity insofar as Matisyahu has studied and lived as a Hasidic Jew.
It would be cool if Lionsgate and Ghost House Pictures were to release the R-rated version of the movie on DVD. What the filmmakers have done within the confines of a PG-13 rating is creepy enough to make me curious to see the more adult version. The Possession is no horror superstar and its name is all too forgettable in a summer full of long-gestating horror movies quickly pushed out the door. It's entertaining enough and could even find a broader audience on DVD. Jeffrey Dean Morgan can read the Old Testament to me any time.

There's an allure to imperfection. With his latest drama Lawless director John Hillcoat taps directly into the side of human nature that draws us to it. Hillcoat finds it in Prohibition history a time when the regulations of alcohol consumption were subverted by most of the population; He finds it in the rural landscapes of Virginia: dingy raw and mesmerizing. And most importantly he finds it in his main character Jack Bondurant (Shia LaBeouf) the scrappy third brother of a moonshining family who is desperate to prove his worth. Jack forcefully injects himself into the family business only to discover there's an underbelly to the underbelly. Lawless is a beautiful film that's violent as hell striking in a way only unfiltered Americana could be.
Acting as the driver for his two outlaw brothers Forrest (Tom Hardy) and Howard (Jason Clarke) isn't enough for Jack. He's enticed by the power of the gangster figure and entranced by what moonshine money can buy. So like any fledgling entrepreneur Jack takes matters into his own hands. Recruiting crippled family friend/distillery mastermind Cricket (Dane DeHaan) the young whippersnapper sets out to brew his own batch sell it to top dog Floyd Banner and make the family rich. The plan works — but it puts the Bondurant boys in over their heads with a new threat: the corrupt law enforcers of Chicago.
Unlike many stories of crime life Lawless isn't about escalation. The movie drifts back and forth leisurely popping in moments like the beats of a great TV episode. One second the Bondurants could be talking shop with their female shopkeep Maggie Beauford (Jessica Chastain). The next Forrest is beating the bloody pulp out of a cop blackmailing their operation. The plot isn't thick; Hillcoat and screenwriter Nick Cave preferring to bask in the landscapes the quiet moments the haunting terror that comes with a life on the other side of the tracks. A feature film doesn't offer enough time for Lawless to build — it recalls cinema-level TV currently playing on outlets like HBO and AMC that have truly spoiled us — but what the duo accomplish is engrossing.
Accompanying the glowing visuals and Cave's knockout workout on the music side (a toe-tapping mix of spirituals bluegrass and the writer/musician's spine-tingling violin) are muted performances from some of Hollywood's rising stars. Despite LaBeouf's off-screen antics he lights up Lawless and nails the in-deep whippersnapper. His playful relationship with a local religious girl (Mia Wasikowska) solidifies him as a leading man but like everything in the movie you want more. Tom Hardy is one of the few performers who can "uurrr" and "mmmnerm" his way through a scene and come out on top. His greatest sparring partner isn't a hulking thug but Chastain who brings out the heart of the impenetrable beast. The real gem of Lawless is Guy Pearce as the Bondurant trio's biggest threat. Shaved eyebrows pristine city clothes and a temper like a rabid wolverine Pearce's Charlie Rakes is the most frightening villain of 2012. He viciously chews up every moment he's on screen. That's even before he starts drawing blood.
Lawless is the perfect movie for the late August haze — not quite the Oscary prestige picture or the summertime shoot-'em-up. It's drama that has its moonshine and swigs it too. Just don't drink too much.
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The comic is taking on the role in an as-yet-untitled movie about Raymond's life, alongside Anna Friel, who will play his wife.
Coogan has already been embroiled in a legal battle with Raymond's son Howard over the name of the film, and now the porn boss' granddaughter Cheyenne reveals she is less than impressed that the Tropic Thunder star is playing her beloved grandfather.
She tells British newspaper Daily Mail, "I am not a fan of Steve Coogan. He doesn't appeal to my sense of humour and I would not have chosen him to play my grandfather.
"I was very close to my grandfather and they don't look similar at all. Just because you put someone in a collar and a big coat, it doesn't mean they look like them."
Howard Raymond is making a rival film, The King of Soho, with The Avengers star Tom Hiddleston in the lead role.

Star Wars is not reserved for eras and galaxies long dead — thirty-five years after the release of the original movie, the various chapters of George Lucas' culturally unparalleled space fantasy series are still winning theatrical spots. In February, Lucasfilms brought Episode I – The Phantom Menace to the big screen for a 3D incarnation of the 1999 flick, and a new announcement from the Star Wars Facebook page informs fans that Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith will get the same treatment. Episodes II and III will be released in theaters in 3D on September 20, 2013 and October 11, 2013, respectively.
The back-to-back releases might be a bit of a surprise, due to the initial implication that the studio might release one film per year, spacing the releases out as large cinematic events. What it really looks like they are doing now is pushing through the prequel trilogy following the underwhelming box office performance of Phantom Menace 3D, and setting up to resume a more grand approach to each of the original trilogy films when their times come.
Phantom Menace 3D came out on February 10, against the successful trio of Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, Safe House, and The Vow. The latter two far exceeded their box office projections, with Journey 2 maintaining the top spot through the opening weekend, as assumed. While a big brand like Star Wars was expected to outperform titles like Safe House and The Vow, it was perhaps the alternative 3D option of Journey 2, the exciting word of mouth surrounding The Vow, and Phantom Menace's negative connotations from most Star Wars fans that contributed to a meager intake. Phantom Menace 3D earned only $43,456,382 in total domestic grosses.
Episodes II and III are more strategically placed, set up to release against films like Ron Howard's Formula One film Rush, and Paul Greengrass' Somali pirates movie Captain Phillips, starring Tom Hanks (respectively). However, the movies aren't quite in for an easy ride: presently scheduled for the weekend prior to Attack of the Clones' release is The Little Mermaid 3D. Additionally, the week prior to Revenge of the Sith, the highly anticipated 3D Sin City sequel is scheduled for release.
Beyond this, the simple quality of the second and third episodes of the prequel trilogy should warrant a step up from Phantom Menace performance: both films are widely considered superior to Episode I. As are pretty much all other films in the history of cinema. Although the studios do seem to be approaching the back-to-back release with a less emphatic attitude, hoping to get to A New Hope as quickly as possible, they are likely in for a better turn (thanks to this more strategic placement, as well as to the quality of the movies themselves) this second/third time around.
[Photo Credit: Lucasfilms]
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